PURCHASE (NY) – Delaware Valley College bounced back from a heartbreaking loss in the first game and earned a split with host Manhattanville College in a Freedom Conference doubleheader. The Aggies dropped a 5-3 decision before posting a 3-1 triumph in the nightcap.

The split left Delaware Valley with an 8-6 record overall and a 4-2 mark in the conference. The Valiants saw their marks move to 7-11 and 1-3.

In the opener, Delaware Valley was one out away from victory before Manhattanville rallied for three runs and the 5-3 triumph. Down 3-2, Lindsay Zekus and Kathryn Moore had back-to-back singles to keeps the Valiants alive in the seventh. Brianne Birtell came in from the bullpen for the Aggies, but Nicole Oliva smacked a home run for the dramatic victory.

Earlier in the game, the Aggies had a three-run homer of their own to erase a deficit. They trailed 2-0 in the fourth when Krystal Diaz and Bethany Pavlik reached base with back-to-back hit. Freshman Erin Fox then followed with second home run of the season to give Delaware Valley a one-run advantage. That stood until Oliva's round-tripper in the seventh.

Fox was 1-for-2 with three RBIs while Diaz was 2-for-4. Maggie Kichler suffered the loss after going six-plus innings. Oliva was 2-for-4 with the three RBIs for Manhattanville.

The Aggies quickly regrouped and put a run on the board in the opening stanza of the nightcap. Robyn Jackson led off the game with a bunt single and advanced to second when Lacy Miles drew a walk. After a pair of outs, Fox came through with an RBI single that scored Jackson.

Jackson upped the lead to 2-0 in the fourth as her two-out single knocked in Birtell, who led off the inning with a base hit. Pavlik then made it 3-0 with a solo shot to start the fifth.

Meanwhile, Birtell started the game on the mound and retired the first 11 batters she faced. The Valiants put a run on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Ashley Dell hit it a solo home run. They then had runners on first and second with one out in the sixth, but Becky Furman relieved Birtell and got out of the jam.

Manhattanville tried for seventh-inning heroics again as Ashley Dell and Catie Venturella drew back-to-back walks. A fielder's choice and a sacrifice bunt left runners on second and third with two outs, and Furman then caught Zekus looking at a third strike to end the game. It was Furman's third save of the season.

Birtell got the win and improved to 4-2 as she allowed one run and five hits while striking out six over five-plus innings. Pavlik was 3-for-4 while Jackson was 2-for-4 in the victory.